


With Someone Else

by highlytrainedfangirl



Series: Wedding dances [1]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, John Loves Sherlock, John is oblivious, M/M, Pining!Sherlock, Sherlock Loves John
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-04
Updated: 2016-05-05
Packaged: 2018-06-06 10:18:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6749596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/highlytrainedfangirl/pseuds/highlytrainedfangirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John wants his first dance with Mary at the wedding to be perfect but doesn't have a clue how to dance. Somehow John ends up getting dancing lessons from Sherlock.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**John**

He knew it was a bad idea as soon as he'd asked. He immediately wished he could take back the words as soon as they'd left his mouth and he was more than a little surprised when his former flat mate agreed.  
So that was how John Watson found himself sitting in his usual chair in 221B Baker Street, albeit as a guest and not a resident. He was waiting to get dancing lessons from Sherlock bloody Holmes. Of all people John couldn't understand why he'd thought it a good idea to ask for _Sherlock_ for dancing lessons. It was true that he didn't have many close friends- in the time Sherlock had been gone John had tended to stay by himself. There weren't many he'd be able to go to for help dancing, and none he'd feel comfortable enough to do it with. So Sherlock was somehow the only logical solution.  
John was slightly surprised to see Sherlock emerge into the living room on time. They had agreed when John's first lesson would be the week prior and John was impressed with his ability to remember and his punctuality. For someone who mocked others for it, Sherlock could be incredibly lazy and forgetful when it came to certain subjects, especially those of a social matter.  
He honestly hadn't expected Sherlock to remember when the lesson was and didn't even know if Sherlock had noticed his arrival in the flat, as Mrs Hudson had been the one to let him in. But there he was, black suit and curled hair, stood in the doorway.  
It was at this point that John realised he had no clue what to do. Every option just felt wrong. It shouldn't have been such a big deal, it was just dancing with a friend, but dancing with _Sherlock..._  
John wasn't sure how that thought was going to end, but he wasn't given a chance to figure it out.  
"Well then," Sherlock moved towards where John was sitting, "are we going to get this over and done with?"  
Hesitant steps met elegant strides in the centre of the living room. The empty floor space seemed far too small for dancing, but Sherlock seemed to think it fine.  
John shifted uncomfortably and Sherlock sighed in response.  
"Lift your arm and place it upon my waist."  
When John made no move to do so Sherlock gently grasped his hand and moved to rest it in the correct place.  
"Now hold my hand like this." Again Sherlock took John's hand in his own, before lowering the other to John's shoulder.  
Sherlock was silent for several seconds and stared down at John. Not sure how to break the silence both stood, their arms resting on each other, eyes locked.  
John probably should have felt awkward but somehow all of that just dissolved into calm. There was something relaxing about it.  
_There's a thought I never would've imagined having. Oh, the Yard would have a field day with this…_  
"Right, so um..." Sherlock broke out of whatever trance he was in, "When you're dancing with Mary you'll be the one to lead, but I think for the first few times it would be more useful to you if I did, just to show you what to do."  
Sherlock took one step forward and John took one back. Their bodies were pressed close together and John tried moving back to create slightly more room. When Sherlock shot him a confused look he stopped and leant back in.  
Sherlock continued to step and turn and John followed. At first John was being pushed in the right direction by Sherlock’s body but soon he was able to know where the next step would take them and what time to move.  
His movements were still clumsy, even more so next to the natural grace of Sherlock, but John did feel like he was learning.  
Neither man spoke. Instead, they leaned into each other and followed the steps lightly around the small space.  
John let his mind wander, enjoying the gentle movements, letting himself relax into the dance. Something about it just felt nice. It felt _right._ Sherlock's hand on his shoulder, his on Sherlock's waist, fingers intertwined. Everything fit perfectly.  
John could picture it all in his head, slowly dancing with Sherlock, soft gold lighting, both of them dressed up in matching suits, the world halting as they hold each other in their arms.  
And then it stopped. The image shattered. Because John wasn't going to be dancing with Sherlock at the wedding. He wasn't marrying _Sherlock._ That thought hurt John more than it should have. Much more.  
_For God's sake! Pull yourself together Watson. Of course you're not marrying Sherlock bloody Holmes! You are marrying a beautiful woman…_  
John suddenly became aware of his every move- how close he was to Sherlock. He anxiously hoped that his body language hadn't given away any of his thoughts and tried to continue dancing normally.  
He looked up to check if Sherlock had noticed but he seemed to be lost in his own thoughts. John watched with interest as Sherlock's expression slowly changed from peaceful to a scowl. Without warning Sherlock halted and pulled away from John.  
"Well, that's enough. I think you've learned all you need to know."  
Sherlock turned away from him to pick up something off his chair and John let his now empty hands hang awkwardly at his sides.  
"I-" John cursed his voice for choosing this moment to fail him, "I thought that there were going to be lessons. As in multiple."  
"Yes, well I think you mastered it better than I anticipated. I have an experiment I really must get back to. Don’t you have a fiancée you should be returning to..." He trailed off as he walked away from John towards the kitchen.  
He wasn't really sure what to do with himself. John shuffled awkwardly on the spot before deciding it was probably best to just leave.  
Walking home all John could think about was how it felt to be dancing in Sherlock's arms. The feeling of Sherlock's waist under his hand and his fingers interlaced with his was burned into his skin.  
It was a strange feeling. Sherlock was his best friend- he shouldn't have these sorts of feelings towards him. But it was still there in the back of his mind. It should have been worrying how easy it was to imagine Sherlock in Mary's place. He could easily picture himself dancing with Sherlock at their wedding.  
_And I'm ending that thought right there. I am not going to marry Sherlock. He is my best friend that is never going to happen._

John was going to get married to Mary and he was going to dance with her. And he was going to ignore how much it hurt not to be with Sherlock.


	2. Chapter 2

**Sherlock**

Sherlock had to admit that even with his deductive skills, he was surprised when John asked him for dancing lessons. The thought of his adamantly-straight best friend asking to dance with him was not one that Sherlock would have considered before.  
Sherlock stepped into the living room to find John already seated in his chair. His _old_ chair Sherlock mentally corrected. John had moved out a long time ago.  
Sherlock waited for John to join him but his former flatmate wasn't making any moves to get up or say anything.  
"Well then," Sherlock decided to break the silence himself, "are we going to get this over and done with?" He didn't mean to come off as rude, he never did with John, but somehow it always came out that way.  
He could see the hesitation as John got up to meet him in the centre of the living room. John shuffled awkwardly in front of Sherlock and he couldn't help the sigh that escaped.  
_Looks like I'm doing all of this myself then._  
"Lift your arm and place it upon my waist."  
John's arm didn't move, so Sherlock took John's hand in his own. His fingers were warm and calloused and Sherlock tried to ignore the feeling as he placed John's hand on his waist.  
"Now hold my hand like this." This time he took John's other hand and kept hold of it. He gently lowered his free hand to rest on John's shoulder.  
Sherlock let himself enjoy the comfort of standing close to John, their hands resting on each other. The truth was that Sherlock had wanted this for so long. The world may believe that Sherlock Holmes is a man incapable of emotion, however that statement couldn't be further from the truth. Sherlock had always been an incredibly emotional child, but he had to block it out, to stop himself from being hurt.  
That was until John Watson came into his life. Sherlock had slowly been losing his ability to hide his feelings.  
And at some point Sherlock had fallen in love with the military doctor in the old woollen jumpers. But Sherlock had to ruin it all by leaving and when he came back John belonged to someone else.  
Sherlock should have known that John would leave eventually.  
Sherlock suddenly became aware of the fact that he's been staring and didn't know how much time had passed. Hoping it hadn't been too long, Sherlock decided to focus on the actual dancing lesson.  
"Right, so um... when you're dancing with Mary," _because John is dancing with Mary at that wedding and not you_ "you'll be the one to lead, but I think for the first few times it would be more useful to you if I did, just to show you what to do."  
Sherlock stepped forwards and John followed suit, stepping back. After only one step Sherlock noticed John squirming away from him.  
_He was the one who wanted to dance, he should have known we'd have to be this close._  
Apparently his thoughts showed on his face because John moved his body so that he was once again settled comfortably against Sherlock.  
Sherlock lead them both around the small space of the living room. This time John did not object to being gently moved by Sherlock's body. The two of them stepped and turned together and Sherlock watched as John began to relax. Now that John was finally comfortable, Sherlock allowed himself to enjoy the dance. He memorised the feeling of John's hand resting on his waist, the light almost cautionary pressure of it. He memorised the warm, calloused fingers gripping his own, the hand that fit perfectly with his. He memorised _everything_.  
Because he knew he'd never get this chance again.  
Every detail of the moment would have been perfect if not for one simple fact, _he's not marrying me._  
For a short while Sherlock could enjoy the feeling of being like this with John, but soon he would be married to someone else and gone from Sherlock's life. And John would never understand. Sherlock wouldn't, couldn't let himself get any more attached only to end up broken.  
Sherlock abruptly stopped and jerked away from John. "Well, that's enough. I think you've learned all you need to know."  
Sherlock turned away from john, pretending to be distracted and picked up a random test tube that had been left on his chair to keep his hands occupied.  
"I-" Sherlock noticed the slight stutter in John's words, "I thought that there were going to be lessons. As in multiple."  
_Yes, of course you agreed to multiple lessons genius._  
"Yes, well I think you mastered it better than I anticipated. I have an experiment I really must get back to. Don’t you have a fiancée you should be returning to..." Ok, maybe John didn't deserve that, he didn't know how Sherlock felt, but some irrational part of Sherlock's brain was telling him to be mad at John. _Emotions are such a pain..._  
Sherlock wandered over to the kitchen and listened until he heard John leave before going back into the living room and collapsing in his chair.  
_Would things have been different if I had spoken before I left?_  
Sherlock didn't want to dwell on that fact. He couldn't change the past. All he could do was deal with the present he was in. Even if that present involved watching the man he loved marrying someone else.


End file.
